Vending machine



F. R. NELSON VENDING MACHINE Nov. 13, 1934.

Filed March 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 13, 1934. F, R N L 1,980,819

VENDING MACHINE Filed March 15. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amen Woe KIT-"16071 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines and particularly to vending machines of that type in which there is provided a rotatable magazine having a plurality of vertically disposed vending compartments within which the articles to be placed are disposed, the articles being observable through transparent front walls to the compartments.

The general object of the present invention is 10 to provide a very simple vending machine designed particularly for the vending of cigarettes though it may be used for other articles in which,

while the customer may turn the central magazine to observe the articles in the various compartments, yet the articles can only be withdrawn by a clerk behind the counter on which the vending machine may be mounted.

A further object is to provide a vending machine of this character having a series of vertical article containing compartments which is so constructed that whole cartons of the articles may be inserted bodily into the compartments and particularly in this connection to provide a holder for the cartons within which they may be bodily inserted, which holder with its carton may be inserted in the compartmentand provide a carton of a particular construction for use with the holder and with these compartments.

A further object in this connection is to provide means wherebythe carton holder may be locked in place within the compartment, this holder in turn locking the carton in place so as to prevent the withdrawal thereof until the holder has been unlocked.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly in section of a vending machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sheet metal holder for the carton;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cover for the carton;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the body of the carton.

Referring to these drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, designates a base having the upwardly extending hub 11 and extending up from this hub, there is a spindle 12 threadedat.

its lower end for the reception of a binding nut 13.

Disposed on this relatively heavy base 10 and locked to the hub 11 by the nut 13 is a base plate 14, the outer periphery of which is provided with the upwardly extending guard flange 15, this guard flange as shown in Figure 1 extending around nearly the entire circumference of the plate 11 but being cut away at the joint 16 so as to leave an opening through which the package of cigarettes or other article may be withdrawn, the lower edge of this portion being cut away at 17 and the plate 11 inward of this opening 16 being provided with a finger opening 18 shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

Mounted upon the spindle 12 for rotation thereon is the rotatable magazine designated generally 19. This magazine has a central many-sided barrel 20 shown as octagonal in plan view which is intersected by the lower plate 21 and the upper plate 22, these plates being flanged and riveted, welded, soldered or otherwise attached to the barrel 20. The upper and lower plates have apertures for the passage of the spindle 12 and the upper plate has a U-shaped strip 23 attached thereto which constitutes a bearing against which the upper rounded end of the spindle 12 impinges. 30 While this provides a very simple form of bearing for the rotatable magazine, I do not wish to be limited thereto as obviously any suitable bearing might be used. The upper portion of the barrel 20 above the plate 22 may be used for display 35 purposes or for carrying matches.

Outward of the barrel 20 there are provided a plurality of radially disposed compartments designated generally 24 within which the articles to be vended are disposed. These compartments are alike in construction. I

The compartments are defined by side walls 26 which define triangular spaces, the outer walls 28 of which are disposed between the compartments and may be used for advertising purposes. Each compartment is defined by the two lateral walls 26 and a rear wall constituted by the wall of the barrel 20. Each compartment is entirely open at its upper end as shown at the right hand side of Figure 2 but at its lower end, there is a bottom 1 29 which extends out from the rear wall but terminates short of the plane of the front wall. The lateral walls 26 01' each compartment are formed to provide vertical grooves within which is disposed a pane of glass 30. This pane of glass constitutes the front wall of each compartment. Just above the bottom 29, the lateral walls of the compartment are cut away as shown in Figure 2 at 31, the slots so formed being disposed below the lower end of each pane of glass 30. The no lower and upper ends of the panes of glass are supported preferably in seats formed of cross members 32 extending across the top and bottom of the compartments. The spaces 2'! are closed at their upper ends each by a wall 33 shown in Figure 1.

For the purpose of supporting cartons within the several compartments, I provide for each com- I partment a carton holder, one of which is shown in Figure 3. This consists of a sheet metal frame rectangular in vertical cross section and having a top 34, two side walls 35, a bottom 36, and a front wall 37 which has an elongated opening 38 formed in it. The bottom 36 does not extend out as far as the front wall 37 and the lateral walls 35 of the holder are cut away at 39. The back of the holder is entirely open. This holder may be formed in any suitable manner of sheet metal and may be readily formed of one sheet of sheet metal.

Adapted to be disposed within the holder is the carton cover shown in Figure 4. This is made of pasteboard or like material and has a front wall 40 having a vertically elongated window 41 preferably formed of cellophane, celluloid or other transparent but light material. The back of the carton cover is open and there are two side walls 42 connected to the front wall and extending down below the front wall. The top 43 is closed. The side walls at their lower ends are cut away as at 44 and the lower ends of the side walls are connected by a transverse web of material 45. This carton cover is to be made of relatively heavy paper or like material and may be made of one piece of such material properly folded and pasted together. The body of the carton which is shown in Figure 5 consists of a bottom wall 46, a top wall 4'7, side walls 48, which are cut away at 49 at their lower ends and correspond to the cut-away portions 39 and 44, the lower ends of the side walls being connected by a web 50. This may also be formed of relatively heavy paper or cardboard folded and pasted in an obvious manner. The regular carton in which the articles are sold may be provided'with an ordinary cover. Then when it is desired to use the carton in this machine, the ordinary cover may be thrown away, the cover section shown in Figure 4 being applied over the body section shown in Figure 5. The closed carton thus formed is then inserted within the holder shown in Figure 3, the discharge openings of the carton, the discharge openings of the holder and the discharge opening of the magazine all registering.

Inasmuch as the vertical compartments are all open at the top, it is necessary to provide means whereby the holder with its carton cannot be withdrawn. Such a means is shown in Figure 2 wherein 51 designates a metallic clip approximately U-shaped in form which is slid over the Joined bottom wall 29 of the compartment and the bottom wall 36 of the holder, thus clipping the holder to the bottom wall of the compartment and preventing the holder from being vertically lifted until the clip 51 has been removed. This clip 51 is preferably provided with the downwardly extending lip 52 whereby the clip may be pulled outward. The space between the base plate '14 and the bottom wall 29 is too narrow to permit the insertion of a finger and hence the opening 18 is provided so that when a clip has been brought into coincidence with this opening, the finger may be inserted upward through this opening 18 and the clip 51 pushed forward until it can be entirely retracted. This clip is prevented from being retracted except by the clerk on duty at the counter by the upwardly extending guard fiange 15. In other words, in order to retract the clip, the magazine must be rotated until the particular clip is brought to the opening 16 in the guard flange and then, and only then, can this clip be retracted.

It will be seen that I have provided a vending machine which is adapted, not only for cigarettes, but for a large number of other articles and in which various articles may be vended from various compartments of the magazine. If cigarettes are to be vended from the entire magazine, then each compartment may be filled with different brands of cigarettes and if desired, the diametrically opposite compartments may be filled with like brands so that when a certain brand is turned toward the customer which is the brand which he has selected, a compartment having a like brand of cigarettes will be turned toward the clerk.

In the use of this device, of course, the customer selects from the various compartments the article he desires and the clerk then turns the machine to such a position that the magazine compartment having this article is disposed at the rear of the counter and at the opening 16 and then the clerk may withdraw the lowermost of the packages of cigarettes or other article and give it to the customer.

The advantage of this construction is that it provides a very excellent means for displaying the goods. Furthermore, the goods are kept in cartons entirely protected by cartons themselves as well as the wrappings on the goods so that the goods will not get stale.

Furthermore, this vending machine permits the clerk to readily vend the article desired'and permits the customer to readily choose the article he desires. The cigarettes or other articles may be sold in cartons having the bodies thereof formed as shown in Figure 5. The covers for these cartons which are to be used in vending the articles may be kept in the store and the ordinary cover of the carton thrown away and the body of the carton inserted in the cover shown in Figure 4. Then this carton is disposed within the holder shown in Figure 3 and the holder then inserted vertically into the proper compartment and locked in place by the clip.

A cabinet or vending machine constructed in accordance with this invention makes it possible to keep on display 104 packages of cigarettes and keeps them fresh, protects the packages from dirt and also protects the packages against breakage.

By providing a metal cover within which the cartons are placed, the cartons will be in no danger of getting out of shape or becoming mashed, nor the cellophane wrapper torn, allowing air to dry out moisture in the cigarettes. While I have shown the guard 15 as being made of metal, it will be understood that itmay be made of wood or some heavy material which will prevent bending.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction as obviously these might be modified 140 in many ways-without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A vending machine including a base, an upradially extending vending compartments each open at its top, each vending compartment having a bottom wall and extending from the rear wall partially across the lower end of the magazine, a carton holder insertible into the compartment through the top thereof and fitting the compartment and having a top, and a bottomwall extending partially across the holder, the front wall of the holder terminating short of the bottom, the rear being open, means detachably locking the lower end of each holder to the bottom wall of the corresponding compartment comprising a clip adapted to embrace the lower wall of the maga zine and the lower wall of the holder, the withdrawal of the clip being prevented by said guard flange until the clip is brought into coincidence with the interruption in the guard flange, the inner end of the lower leg of the clip having a downwardly deflected lip and the base having an opening through which a finger may be inserted to engage the lip and dislodge the clip.

2. In a vending machine, a base having an upstanding guard flange formed with an opening at one point, a magazine mounted upon the base with its lower end disposed within the guard flange and below the upper edge thereof, the magazine being formed to provide a compartment movable laterally into or out of coincidence with the opening in the guard flange, the compartment having side walls and a bottom wall extending out only partially below the compartment, a carton holder insertible into the compartment and having a bottom wall extending partially across the lower end of the carton holder, and means detachably locking the lower end of the carton holder to the bottom wall of the compartment comprising a clip adapted to embrace the lower wall of the magazine and the lower wall of the carton holder, the inner end of the lower leg of the clip having a downwardly deflected lip, the base having'an opening through which the finger may be inserted to engage the lip and dislodge the clip when the compartment has been brought into coincidence with the opening in the flange.

FRED R. NELSON. 

